Thursday is the final day for local school bus operators to move students for the Hastings Prince Edward, Limestone District and Algonquin and Lakeshore Catholic District school boards.
Tri-Board Student Transportation has awarded all routes to five companies, none of which are local, in fact several have international ownership.
Recently, C Smith bus driver Cynthia Hockney submitted a request to make a delegation to the Hastings Prince Edward Board of Trustees.
She says her request was denied.
“I spoke with chair of the board. She did mention to me that it wasn’t part of their criteria. Student transportation and busing wasn’t part of their transition. “
Hockney was invited to speak privately with someone from the board, or to discuss the matter with Tri-Board Student Transportation CEO Jeremy DaCosta.
She says DaCosta suggested she speak with HPEDSB.
“I feel like tossed salad. I said, well, how can I be able to speak in front of the board about student safety and stuff like that? You can’t get anything out of them.”
Earlier this week, HPE Trustee Ernie Parsons’ motion to have Tri-Board Student Transportation speak at an upcoming board meeting failed in an 8-2 vote.
